MONTPELIER -- The Vermont
Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has prepared for
Environmental Protection Agency approval the 2014 listing of impaired
waters in Vermont. This list, also known as the 303(d) Impaired Waters
List, is issued every two years in compliance with the Federal Clean
Water Act.

"Impaired" streams and lakes are those that do not meet
Vermont's stringent water quality standards, and are legally
designated as polluted. Impaired waters are scheduled for the
development of a clean-up or remediation plan sufficient to restore
water quality.

For the development of the 2014 list, the most recent water quality
information collected was assessed to determine the condition of the
state's waters. A draft list was developed for which public comments
were solicited and an opportunity for a public meeting was provided,
but no meeting was requested. Comments were received and a response
summary was developed.

These are publicly available at the Watershed Management Division's website.
Vermont has multiple robust water quality monitoring programs that
provide a comprehensive assessment of rivers, streams and lakes
throughout the state.

For 2014, these data indicated that fewer impaired waters existed in
the state relative to 2012, when the previous list was developed.

Areas of water quality improvement include:

Lords Brook and West
Branch of the Ompompanoosuc -- these streams are adjacent to the now
abandoned Elizabeth Copper Mine in Strafford. DEC and USEPA have been
overseeing a long-term cleanup of tailings from mining operations.
Efforts have been successful and the majority of streams previously
impacted by acid mine drainage are no longer impaired.

North Branch Ball Mountain Brook tributary -- in the vicinity of
the Stratton Mountain ski area, this stream has been subject to a
successful long-term cleanup plan.

Chester Brook -- an agricultural area in Fairfield has shown
continual improvement over the years and is no longer impaired.

Mill Brook tributary -- this stream in the vicinity of the Bromley
ski area was previously impacted by runoff from impervious surfaces
and sediment.

Muddy Brook -- bordering South Burlington and Williston, a long
reach of this stream from the Winooski River upstream now meets water
quality standards.

Several new streams were found to be impaired. These include:

Tributary of Muddy Brook (Williston) -- this previously impaired
reach was expanded both up and downstream and is caused, in part, by
high chloride levels from deicing salt.

Big Spruce Brook (vicinity of Stowe Mountain Resort) -- the upper
portion of this previously impaired stream has responded to cleanup
actions and is no longer impaired. However, new data revealed that the
lower end extends 0.1 miles further downstream than originally known.

In the vicinity of the Jay Peak Resort, an impaired water was
identified in an area where two impaired streams already exist. While
the conditions in these two streams continue to improve towards
attainment of water quality standards, recent data collected by the
Resort on a previously unmonitored stream indicated that it too was
impaired. Like the other streams in the area, the problem was caused
by too much sediment running off into the streams. Since the resort
was already implementing a cleanup plan for the existing impairments,
DEC ordered the cleanup plan to be expanded and updated to address the
new impaired stream reach, as well as to redouble efforts in the
previously impacted areas.

As a result of these actions, Jay Peak Resort conducted reconnaissance
to identify the sources of sediment in the new stream, and developed a
set of actions to be implemented over the next two years for all
streams near the Resort. Currently the plan is being reviewed by the
DEC to ensure that it is adequate to bring these streams into
compliance.

For more information regarding the Impaired Waters Listing, visit the
Watershed Management Division's websiteor
contact Tim Clear at the Division 802-490-6135. Upon request, the Division will provide a public meeting for a
more thorough presentation of any of the above topics.

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